Chatham district reports mostly stable wellness results but flags eating-disorder indicators, suicide risk

At a School District of the Chathams Board of Education meeting, district staff reviewed results from a February 2025 student wellness survey and described both stable measures and areas of concern, including restrictive eating behaviors, use of caffeine to stay awake, and gambling activity in games and apps.

The presentation, led by Kate DeSantis, supervisor of student health and well-being, and Blair Rosenthal, assistant superintendent for student support services, reported 1,590 student responses in February 2025 compared with 1,677 in 2023 and said 272 students opted out of the survey (135 at the high school and 137 at the middle school). Rosenthal said 87.7 percent of students said they feel connected to at least one adult at school, above a cited national average of about 79 percent.

Why it matters: district leaders said student mental health affects learning and classroom engagement and that the survey results guide programming and staff training. Presenters tied the data to on-campus supports and outside partnerships used to identify and assist students at risk.

Survey findings and district response DeSantis and Rosenthal summarized national context (for example, cited national youth mental-health figures) and then focused on local data. They reported slightly improved stress patterns compared with 2023 but flagged several specific items: - Responses: 1,590 completed surveys in February 2025 vs. 1,677 in 2023; 272 students opted out. - Adult connection: 87.7 percent of students report feeling connected to at least one adult at school. - Eating and weight control: presenters said nearly 20 percent of students reported avoiding food, inducing vomiting, or using laxatives to control weight and that 299 students indicated some form of dietary restriction. The district said hospitalizations and clinical referrals related to eating disorders have increased and that staff will receive professional development with Monte Nido in December. - Substance/caffeine use: staff reported 136 students often or almost always used coffee, 99 used energy drinks often or almost always, 171 used other caffeinated drinks often or almost always, and 15 students reported occasional use of caffeine pills. - Gambling and in-game purchases: presenters said 603 students reported purchasing loot boxes or skins and 508 reported playing dice or cards for money or items of value. - Suicidality and safety work: DeSantis reported 121 combined risk assessments and hospitalizations over the past school year, 40 students required mental-health clearance to return to school, the district completed 21 behavior-threat assessments (BTMs), and additional students required school-based clearances.

District supports and next steps Rosenthal and DeSantis described district resources: 18 school counselors (K–12), one district SAC (Mrs. Mandela), Project Community Pride and Aspire clinicians, a child-study team, 11 school psychologists and social workers, and a district filtering/alert tool (Securely) that flags concerning searches on school-issued devices. Programs cited included classroom social-emotional lessons (Second Step), Cougar Mindset and mindfulness programming, Lifelines suicide-prevention lessons, a wellness fair, therapy dogs at events, and partnerships with outside clinical providers for school-based clearances.

DeSantis said the district will continue staff training (including trauma-informed care and suicide-prevention training) and named Monte Nido as a planned training partner for work on eating disorders. Rosenthal emphasized ongoing communication between school counselors and outside mental-health providers to support students identified as at risk.

Board questions and clarifications Board members asked how the district identifies the smaller share of students who do not report a trusted adult, how survey wording might affect estimates of disordered eating (for example, student athletes managing weight vs. clinical eating disorders), and how absenteeism and academic-pressure stressors relate to the results. DeSantis and Rosenthal answered that the anonymous nature of the survey limits direct identification but that school staff use referrals, clinical flags, and day-to-day observations to locate and assist students. They reiterated that some items (for example, the precise clinical status of weight-control behaviors) will be refined in future surveys and staff training.

The district said it will continue to use the survey to guide professional development and student supports and to maintain partnerships with outside providers for clinical evaluation and school-based clearances.

Ending Board members thanked staff for the analysis and for district programming aimed at prevention and intervention.